Pakistan will ask the International Cricket Council (ICC) to reconsider
its decision not to allow the country more time to finalise its squad
for the World Cup, an official said Saturday.
The ICC has set a February 13 deadline for naming the squads for the
World Cup which starts in the West Indies from March 13.
Pakistan said it required more time to assess the injuries to four
players who sustained knocks during the ongoing tour of South Africa.
"We don't have enough time to ascertain the extent of injuries to the
players as the team returns from South Africa on February 15," Pakistan
Cricket Board (PCB) director of operations Salim Altaf told AFP. "There
would be little time for examination of the injuries so we still want
the extension," said Altaf, adding that the new appeal would be made
before the ICC's technical committee.
The injured cricketers include key fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar
(hamstring), Umar Gul (ankle), Shabbir Ahmed (hamstring) and Mohammad
Sami (back). Akhtar, Umar and Ahmed have already returned to Pakistan
from South Africa.
Mohammad Asif, currently on the tour, is also threatened by an elbow
injury.
Altaf said Pakistan faced difficulties as players injured had to be
examined before announcing the team.
Pakistan sent Azhar Mahmood and Rao Iftikhar as replacement after
injuries to Ahmed and Sami before the on-going five-match one-day
series.
Akhtar was originally sent as a replacement for Gul but he tore his
hamstring after bowling just 12 overs in the Port Elizabeth Test last
month.
The spate of injuries has forced the PCB to constitute a three-member
medical commission to examine the injuries.
The ICC has a policy which allows the injured players to be replaced
during the World Cup but only after clearance from the technical
committee.